The Importance of LIttle Accidents

You know the kind I mean: the ones where nobody gets hurt; where nothing blows up; and nobody shows up, except you, you fish-eyed sucker, called out of your own bed (unlucky) or somebody else's (disastrous).

You get there. There's no press, no NTSB "go team," no competing reflectorized vests with initials like FBI, DHS, ATF, PHMSA, DEA, FRA, NTSB. No senators expressing shock and dismay and demanding that heads will, as the cameras do, roll.

There's just you. The wreckmaster's on the way. The track supervisor too. Local fire department is there, and the cops. Everybody thinking, "What a mess." And looking at you.

And you know what? It's better this way. We might actually be able to learn something. Less noise, more signal.

We've had a couple of the little ones recently.

First, on July 16, a BNSF unit crude oil train derailed 22 cars near Culbertson, Montana. Three tank cars ruptured, spilling approximately 35,000 gallons of crude. No fire, no explosion, no headlines, none that stuff I listed above and that I would be happy to never list again.

Now if I were BNSF, or the NTSB, or FRA, or DOT, or PHMSA I'd be very interested in this no fire, no explosion derailment. BNSF hasn't identified the source of the crude, but since the train was loaded by Savage Bakken Oil Services in Trenton, North Dakota, I think it's safe to assume that the contents of this train were Bakken crude.

Last April, North Dakota required that Bakken crude be stabilized (reducing its volatility) prior to transport.

So I'd be very interested in knowing if this train was transporting the stabilized crude.

Even more recently, US DOT has established new specs for tank cars handling unpressurized flammable materials, replacing DOT 111 and 111A specs for those cars with the new 117 classification. An "interim" model car, CPC 1232 is currently in service.

So I'd be very interested in knowing if the three cars that ruptured were 111, 111A, or 1232 models.

So I'd also be very interested in knowing if other cars that did derail but did not rupture are 111, 111A, or 1232 models.

DOT has also stipulated that CBR trains be fitted for ECP, electro-pneumatic braking, meaning of course, the CBR tank cars must be fitted for electro-pneumatic braking.

ECP braking is not a new concept. It's been around for at least, what? 60 years? Instead of using changes in air pressure traveling throughout the entire length of the train to signal for the application of brakes, electronic-pneumatic braking sends an electronic signal to receivers on each car's air brake apparatus to initiate braking. "Lag time" is virtually eliminated; brakes set up simultaneously, smoothly, with dramatic reduction of in-train draft forces. Great idea. For passenger trains. Where all the cars share common electrical connections with the locomotive.

Maybe a great idea for freight trains. Definitely an expensive one as the 90,000 or so tank cars currently more or less captured in hazmat/CBR transport have no electrical connections to anything.

So I'd be interested in knowing with ECP braking, how many of the 22 cars that did derail, would not have derailed. I'd be interested to know if the three tank cars that ruptured after derailing a) wouldn't have derailed to begin with and b) would not have been subject to "rupture forces" due to additional impact from following cars if ECP braking had been installed.

Sounds like a job for TTCI, if you ask me.

And we had a second little accident on Friday, July 17, 2015, right here in NYC. Initially reported as a "sideswipe," it was in fact a collision between two LIRR passenger trains. A westbound train was stopped at interlocking signal at HALL. An eastbound train violated a signal displaying stop, and proceeded to collide with the stopped train. You can see a summary of the accident on......where else? YouTube. The summary begins around 3:31 into the video.

Again no injuries, no fires, no explosions. But...but a lot to learn, because at 13:50 into the video, the chief of the LIRR says that because this violation of the stop signal and resulting collision took place in the interlocking "PTC isn't going to help."

This is startling news, and I hope it's just a misunderstanding as LIRR's approved PTCIP, available in public docket FRA-2010-0031 states:

The LIRR PTC system will enforce a stop at every Home Signal displaying a Stop aspect. Transponders provide the onboard computer with the information that the train is approaching a Home Signal and the distance to that Home Signal. The onboard system uses this data to generate a speed profile with a 0 mph target speed at a target point in approach to the signal....

Now back in the day, "home signals" meant the extreme outer opposing signals of an interlocking. Signals within the interlocking might be referred to as intermediate signals, although the requirements for complying with a stop indication from such a signal within the interlocking limits were exactly the same as that for the home signal.

The distinction between "home" and "intermediate" interlocking signals has operating significance only in defining the geographical boundaries of the interlocking in which all the interlocking rules apply, including stop at every signal displaying stop.

In addition 236.1005(a)(1)(i) requires at interlockings where PTC routes intersect that PTCenforce "the stop on all routes."

It's the little things that mean the most, sometimes, so I'm looking forward to the little answers.